Announcements

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

2025-10-31

Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

International Journal of Complementary and Internal Medicine (IJ-CIM)

The International Journal of Complementary and Internal Medicine (IJ-CIM) is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity in scholarly publishing. This Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement defines the ethical responsibilities of authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher to ensure transparency, credibility, and academic honesty in all stages of publication. The journal adheres to the principles and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Duties of Authors 1.1 Originality and Plagiarism

Authors must submit original manuscripts that have not been previously published and are not under consideration by any other journal.
Any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, text recycling, or redundant publication, is strictly prohibited.
All sources must be properly cited, and appropriate acknowledgments should be given to the work of others.

1.2 Authorship and Contributions

All listed authors must have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the study.
Individuals who contributed to the research in a minor way (e.g., technical assistance, language editing) should be acknowledged but not listed as authors.
Practices such as ghost authorship, guest authorship, or honorary authorship are unethical and unacceptable.

1.3 Data Integrity and Transparency

Authors must present accurate, honest, and verifiable data.
Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or selective reporting of data is prohibited.
Authors should retain original data and make it available to the editor or reviewers upon request.

1.4 Multiple, Redundant, or Concurrent Submission

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently is unethical.
Authors must clearly disclose if any part of the manuscript has been published or submitted elsewhere.

1.5 Acknowledgment of Sources and Conflicts of Interest

Authors must acknowledge all financial or institutional support for their work.
Any potential conflicts of interest (financial, professional, or personal) that could influence the research must be disclosed.

1.6 Corrections and Retractions

If authors discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published work, they must promptly inform the journal editor.
The journal will issue a correction or retraction as necessary to maintain the integrity of the academic record.

2. Duties of Editors 2.1 Fair and Unbiased Decision-Making

Editors will evaluate manuscripts solely on the basis of academic merit, originality, and relevance to the journal’s scope.
Editorial decisions will not be influenced by authors’ race, gender, nationality, religion, political views, or institutional affiliation.

2.2 Confidentiality

Editors must treat all submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
No information regarding a submission shall be shared with anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, and editorial staff as necessary.

2.3 Handling of Ethical Violations

Editors are responsible for investigating allegations of plagiarism, data fabrication, or other forms of misconduct.
When misconduct is identified, the journal will take appropriate action, including issuing expressions of concern, corrections, or retractions in line with COPE guidelines.

2.4 Conflicts of Interest

Editors must recuse themselves from handling manuscripts in which they have a conflict of interest, whether personal, financial, or professional.

3. Duties of Reviewers 3.1 Confidentiality

Manuscripts received for review must be treated as confidential and must not be shared or discussed with others without authorization from the editor.

3.2 Objectivity and Constructive Feedback

Reviews should be objective, fair, and aimed at improving the quality of the manuscript.
Criticism should focus on the content of the work and not on the author personally.

3.3 Timeliness

Reviewers should complete their evaluations within the agreed timeframe.
If unable to meet the deadline, they should promptly inform the editor.

3.4 Identification of Ethical Issues

Reviewers should notify the editor of any ethical concerns, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or duplicate submission.

3.5 Conflicts of Interest

Reviewers must decline to review any manuscript in which they have conflicts of interest due to relationships with the authors, institutions, or subject matter.

4. Duties of the Publisher 4.1 Ethical Oversight

The publisher supports the editorial board in maintaining ethical standards and ensuring that all parties involved adhere to these principles.

4.2 Addressing Misconduct

In cases of proven or suspected misconduct, the publisher will work with the editorial team to investigate the matter and take appropriate action, including correction, retraction, or banning of authors from future submissions.

4.3 Access and Archiving

The publisher ensures long-term preservation and accessibility of published materials through secure digital archiving systems.

5. Allegations of Misconduct

The International Journal of Complementary and Internal Medicine follows COPE’s procedures for handling ethical violations and allegations of research misconduct. All allegations will be investigated thoroughly, fairly, and confidentially. Confirmed violations may result in retraction of the article, notification of the author’s institution, and other necessary measures.

Conclusion

By submitting a manuscript to the International Journal of Complementary and Internal Medicine (IJ-CIM), authors, reviewers, and editors agree to uphold the highest standards of publication ethics. Non-compliance with these principles may result in manuscript rejection, retraction, or other corrective actions as deemed appropriate by the journal.

International journal of Complementary and Internal Medicine is a peer-reviewed Open Access journal medical journal considers articles on internal medicine. It deals with the prevention and treatment of adult diseases, Emergency and veterinary medicine. We accept Research articles, review articles, case reports, short communications, Editorials etc.